500 gather in tribute to Martez

Football players, cheerleaders, parents and friends numbering more than 500 gathered at the Belleview Sports Complex in Belleview on Friday for a candlelight vigil in memory of Martez Hawkins.

By Austin L. MillerStaff writer

BELLEVIEW — Football players, cheerleaders, parents and friends numbering more than 500 gathered at the Belleview Sports Complex on Friday for a candlelight vigil in memory of Martez Hawkins, the 10-year-old Ocala boy who was tragically killed in a UTV accident a little more than a week ago.At the conclusion of football practice Friday, the players and cheerleaders held hands and silently walked onto the football field around 7:35 p.m. The group from Pop Warner stood at about midfield in front of the announcer's booth and quietly listened to Destiny Evans singing "Amazing Grace."Then they listened to poems read by Laneace Cotton, Heaven Jernigan, Kelsea McDonald and Jennifer Reynolds. Some of the girls choked back tears as they read their poems.The 15 minute event concluded with those on the field lighting their candles and raising them toward the sky as they remembered Martez, who played football with some of those assembled on the field."I'm a mother, and my heart goes out to his mother," said Lakandala Brewer, organizer of the vigil.Brewer said her 9-year-old son played against Martez for three years. And though she did not know Martez, Brewer said while the children play on opposing teams, they're "one big family" and in times like this, they come together as one."We stick together," she said.Funeral services for Martez are slated for 11 a.m. Saturday at House of God Keith Dominion, 2830 NW 27th Ave. A visitation for Martez was held Friday at Snow's Funeral Ministry.According to the Florida Highway Patrol, Martez was airlifted to UF Health Shands Hospital in Gainesville in critical condition following a utility vehicle crash that occurred at 5:10 p.m. Sept. 15 in Summerfield.Troopers said an 11-year-old boy, also of Ocala, was driving a 2012 Polaris Ranger Crew, a four-seat utility vehicle, in an open field on private property at 5198 SE County Road 42 when he turned the vehicle sharply to the left, causing it to tip on its passenger-side tires. Martez was partially ejected. Neither boy was wearing a seat belt. The 11-year-old was not injured.In an earlier interview with the Star-Banner, Martez's mother, Shankaya Leverett, said her son never regained consciousness. She said she was by his side when he died on Sept. 17 from head injuries sustained in the crash. She said she did not know who the vehicle belonged to, and that he and the other boy were friends.Troopers are continuing their investigation.In the same interview, Leverett said her son, a student at Saddlewood Elementary School, loved his classes and was a superstar on and off the field. Leverett said her son loved fishing, was a cheerful little boy and always had a smile on his face. On the playing field, she said her son excelled in baseball and football.Larry Curtis, Martez's coach, said Martez was so good, he skipped Junior Pee Wees and played for the Marion County Pee Wee Raiders. He, too, talked with the Star-Banner at the time of Martez's death.Martez played three positions: tailback, slot receiver and free safety. In three games played so far, Curtis said, Martez had an interception in the end zone and ran it back 103 yards. In another game, he had a 65-yard reverse for a touchdown.Before the vigil began, silver and black bracelets with Martez's number on them were being sold for $5 at the concession stand, with proceeds going to Martez's family, Brewer said.Among those who purchased a bracelet was William Burgos, who said he bought four of them because he wanted to show his support. He said his grandson plays pee wee football.Keith Benway, whose son also plays pee wee football, said he bought one bracelet. He called Martez's death "heartbreaking."In front of the concession stand, there was a small-sized black poster displaying a picture of a smiling Martez and him running the ball on the opposite side.